DAVID BOTTRILL AT THE CUSTOM 80 SERIES NEVE CONSOLE
IN STUDIO A AT TORONTO’S REVOLUTION RECORDING
THE OUTLOOK
OF A LEGEND
In Conversation with Grammy-Winning Producer/Engineer David Bottrill
By Andrew King. Photos by Neal Burstyn, NTBCreative.com.
We
often hear about how Canada punch-
es above its weight when it comes to
our recording artists and their output,
though the same could easily be said for
our cohort of influential engineers and
producers – the studio professionals who help to shape that work,
cater it for mass consumption, and realize its fullest potential.
David Bottrill is a prime example. His list of credits is as impres-
sive as it is diverse. It spans several generations, countless genres,
and refuses to be bound by custom or convention. His sonic finger-
print graces classic albums by some of the most innovative, influen-
tial, and successful artists in modern music: Peter Gabriel, Rush, Tool,
Muse, The Smashing Pumpkins, and many others. Those albums have
gone on to sell tens of millions of copies, won Bottrill three Grammy
Awards to date, and earned him the respect of his peers and collabo-
rators – both past and potential – the world over.
What’s perhaps most impressive about it all, though, is that at
this point in his storied career, he’s still unwavering in his dedication
to and appreciation of his craft, and still so keen to learn and grow
– an attitude that probably accounts for much of his success to
date.
Considering it all, it was a true pleasure to get to sit down with
Bottrill and, with no set agenda, parse through some of his work, his
opinions and insights, and his outlook on the art and industry.
26 PROFESSIONAL SOUND
PS: To get us started, what’s been keeping you busy lately?
DB: Well, right now I’m doing a number of projects, one of which
is with a fantastic Canadian multi-cultural artist called Elsiane from
Montreal. I’ve been driving between Toronto and Montreal – she
comes here for a bit with Steph, her musical partner and drummer,
to my studio and then I go to Montreal to work in Pierre Marchand’s
studio to record drums and things like that. It’s one of those modern
projects where we collaborate both electronically and physically.
PS: You mentioned your personal studio there. Since the Rattle-
box Studios days, where you had a designated commercial,
“get-the-name-out-there” space, where have you been doing
your work? I know you’re no stranger to Revolution Record-
ing [in Toronto], but do you have other usual spots where we
might find you a few times a year?
DB: Well, I find myself at Revolution quite a lot; I love that studio. I’m
at Noble Street every now and again, and Union Sound I’ve been
using for the last little while as well. I kind of work my way around
[Toronto], and then of course, I do a lot of travelling to work with
bands in the places they are, because often, when you’re working
with younger or indie projects, they don’t have a budget to fly an
entire band up to Canada to do a project here, so I’ll go there.